Trailer Tuesday: “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For”

It’s been a long time coming. A very, very long time. Ever since the first “Sin City” was released in 2005, there have been talks of a sequel based on the graphic novel franchise, this one subtitled “A Dame to Kill For.” Early rumors wanted Angelina Jolie in the title role of the “Dame,” but that never came to fruition, which probably explains the near-ten-year dry spell of development hell that this film lingered in.

Now, in 2014, we are finally seeing this anticipated sequel come to life. I still remember watching the trailer for the first “Sin City” all those years ago and it is still one of my favorite trailers to this day. So, perhaps my expectations were already set at an unrealistic high. But I must digress for now. The opening of this trailer sets a familiar tone to its’ predecessor, but as we are introduced to the characters one by one, it is clear that the stakes are rising. Multiple storylines intersect here, each one centered on revenge. Marv (Mickey Rourke) and Nancy (Jessica Alba) return as much edgier versions of the previous incarnations, and Josh Brolin takes over the role of Dwight, who was played by Clive Owen the first time around. These three characters have been wronged oh-so-badly and now they’re seeing red. Literally. The only colors on screen are black, white and occasionally red, in an attempt to pay homage to the source material. Senator Roark (Powers Boothe) is somehow at the center of all the wrongdoing and our three anti-heroes must band together to bring him down. As previously mentioned, Angelina Jolie was sought out for the lead in this, but we have found a suitable replacement in Eva Green, who plays the seductive, yet terrifyingly deceptive dame named Ava. Green is one of the only things about this trailer that really interested me. Just in the short time we had with these characters, Ava appeared to have the most dynamic role in the film. As far as music, well, let’s just say trailer music is vital when making a lasting impact on an audience, and I just didn’t feel it here. The first “Sin City” had a stellar track that made the action and drama flow. But here we get some sort of techno mash-up that doesn’t quite fit with the tone or the timing.

Hopefully this trailer was just a fluke, and the real payoff will come when the film hits theatres this Friday!

Originally from Indiana, Lehe moved to Los Angeles 2 years ago to pursue a career in screenwriting. Since relocating to the "Left Coast," Lehe has worked at a production company, a talent agency and now an entertainment law firm, all while building a network of industry connections.